8th Grader Crowned PSUSD Spelling Bee Champion

During the 11th round, an eighth-grader’s correct spelling of the word "syllabus" punched his ticket Friday to represent the Palm Springs Unified School District in the countywide competition in March. If he wins the county competition, Dominic Carrillo, who attends Cielo Vista Charter School in Palm Springs, could land a spot representing Riverside County at the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in May in Maryland. Forty-two students in grades 4 through 8 competed Friday in the 43rd annual Spelling Bee of Champions, which was held at Desert Hot Springs High School, according to PSUSD spokeswoman Joan Boiko. Luke Jin, a seventh-grader at Cielo Vista Charter School, and Antonio Maldonado Espino, an eighth-grader at Nellie Coffman Middle School in Cathedral City, were runners-up, Boiko said. The Riverside County Spelling Bee Competition will be held March 24 at the Moreno Valley Conference and Recreation Center, 14075 Frederick St. For more information on the county spelling bee, visit http://www.rcoe.us/student-events/spelling-bee.